Gareth A Davies has been a sports journalist for The Daily Telegraph since 1993. He is Boxing and MMA Correspondent. Has been intrigued by fight and combat sports from a young age. Personal sporting passions are rugby, cricket, and martial arts. Also covers the Paralympic Games. Hates getting his hair cut. Follow on Twitter @GarethADaviesDT

There was a silver lining for Cathal Pendred after he was controversially knocked out of TUF 19 at the semifinal stage: the Irish mixed martial artist who studied Forensics, has signed a contract with The Ultimate Fighting Championship, and will make his official debut in Ireland next month at UFC FIGHT NIGHT DUBLIN: MCGREGOR VS. BRANDAO.

Pendred had fought his way to the dream stage by making it to the TUF 19 series. But it was to end controversially as he was knocked out of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn competition this week. Even UFC president Dana White disagreed with the scoring. It was a bitter pill for the former rugby flanker, but there was a sweet twist to come.

But the new signing will now take on fellow TUF competitor Mike King at the o2 arena in Dublin next month.

On being knocked out of The Ultimate Fighter competition, Pendred said: “It was a devastating loss. I’m a naturally competitive person and I always have been, so it is a bitter pill to swallow when you don’t win."

"At the time, it felt like my dream had just been stolen away from me. I barely slept for about a month after it – I went over and over the fight in my head. I really thought I’d won the fight looking back at it and a lot of people told me they thought I had too, but I appreciate that it was by no means a robbery.”

Moving on from the loss, Pendred received an email from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva around 6 weeks ago: “Joe Silva actually sent me an email and asked me to call him. I actually rang my coach John Kavanagh and asked him what I should do. Funnily enough he told me to call Joe Silva like he had asked! I´ve known since then that I would be fighting but obviously I couldn´t say anything to anyone.”

"However, after my semi final fight on TUF in late November after losing a split decision, Dana White told me that he thought I won and I would be given an opportunity to fight in the UFC."

On his opponent, Mike King, Cathal said: “I actually got on quite well with Mike when I was in The Ultimate Fighter house. We kept in contact afterwards, so I was a little bit disappointed when I found out it was him that I was going to fight. But that disappointment was completely overshadowed by my excitement of making my UFC debut in my hometown."

“The minute I was told Mike was my opponent, my friendship with him ceased. Until July 19th he is neither a friend to me or even a person; he is just an obstacle standing in the way of my dream…an obstacle that I will get through undoubtedly.”

"I think Mike is a good fighter but not as good as me. I don´t predict how my fights are won, all I can predict is the one thing I know is certain; I will be the victor."

On being told he would be signed to the UFC, Pendred commented: "It was an amazing feeling. Like I said Dana had told me I would be fighting in the UFC. I had assumed that would have been the Live finale in Vegas on the 5th of July. When the Irish card was announced as being 2 weeks after this, I was seriously worried that I would miss out on the UFC returning to my hometown for the first time in over 5 years and only the second time in history."

Fighting in Dublin, he says "will be an amazing feeling".

"I have been representing Ireland on the international stage off MMA for a few years. We might not wear a green jersey, but we walk to the octagon with the tri-colour wrapped around us with pride. We will be representing our nation on the biggest stage in our sport. Ireland didn´t qualify for the world cup this summer, so July 19th will be our World Cup," added Pendred.

He is currently in Iceland training at the moment with Conor McGregor, Gunnar Nelson and Paddy Holohan who are all fighting on the same night. "I´m here with some of the best fighters in Europe and I am away from all distractions I find at home. In Iceland I get plenty of great training, healthy food and peace."

Tickets for UFC Fight Night Dublin sold out in a matter of minutes when they went on sale earlier this month.

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UFC establish tv deal with terrestrial broadcaster TV3 in Ireland

It was also announced Thursday that the UFC has established an agreement with TV3 for the free-to-air Irish broadcast of UFC Fight Night Dublin.

TV3 reaches in the region of 3.5million individuals each month, equivalent to 85.1% of the available viewing population. It is the largest commercial TV channel in Ireland, and has a bigger market share for adults than BBC1, UTV, Channel 4 or Sky 1 combined.

Garry Cook, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of UFC Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “The popularity of the UFC in Ireland continues to grow at an enormous rate."

"With a number of talented Irish fighters on the card and the record breaking sell-out audience at the O2 arena, it was only right that we also offered access to this incredible event to audiences in Ireland via a free to air TV agreement. We are incredibly excited to make this announcement and we are confident that this is only the beginning of things to come for our sport in Ireland.”